A MAN has been shot in the head in an incident believed to be linked to the attempted murder of a gym owner earlier this month.
The latest gun victim was named last night as Karl Wynne, who is in his mid 40s.
He was shot as he sat on a wall outside a licensed premises at a shopping centre in St Dominic's Road in Tallaght, south county Dublin, shortly before 10pm.
Mr Wynne was rushed to Tallaght hospital in a critical condition.
Early today he was still fighting for his life as he underwent emergency treatment.
Gardai think the shooting may be linked to an attempt to murder gym owner Sean Enright at the Ballyboggan business park in Glasnevin on the northside of the city two weeks ago.
Two men approached Mr Wynne on a motorcycle. The passenger fired five shots from a 9mm handgun. Mr Wynne was hit once in the head and three times in the body.
Shocked passers-by alerted the emergency services and Mr Wynne was rushed by ambulance to Tallaght hospital.
Mr Wynne is originally from Finglas in west Dublin but had been circulating in the Tallaght area in recent weeks.
Scene of crime tape sealed off the area early today as garda forensic officers, dressed in special protective clothing, began a detailed search for clues.
A major investigation was immediately launched, led by Chief Supt Brendan Mangan, who is in charge of the Dublin South division.
Mr Wynne was gunned down near a set of steps leading from the shopping centre, just yards from the nearest house and a school.
The scene of the shooting is close to Tallaght village and the gunmen had a choice of four different routes to make their escape.
Officers are investigating reports of Mr Wynne's recent movements and contacts to try to find a motive for the shooting.
But an initial line of inquiry was that the shooting was connected to the murder bid on Mr Enright on May 15.
Mr Enright was shot four times in the upper back as he was walking into the Universal Warrior gym, which he part owns.
He underwent emergency surgery at the Mater hospital and survived the attack, despite his injuries.
Gardai initially thought he had been attacked by dissident republicans but now believe he had been targeted by an organised crime gang.
They think a gunman had been hired by to carry out the attack on Mr Enright but are not yet certain why he had been targeted.
Officers have been working on the basis that the champion bodybuilder had been attacked because of a previous dispute with another man.
The gunman acted alone and abandoned his getaway car without setting it on fire.
The car was found shortly afterwards by gardai, who are hopeful that a forensic examination of the vehicle will help them identify the gunman.
